een talkin' the thing over with her and she's willin' to
look out for John till he gits better."

The physician adjusted his eyeglasses and looked the volunteer nurse
over keenly. The lady paid no attention to the scrutiny, but calmly
removed her bonnet and placed it on the bureau. The room was Captain
Eri's, and the general disarrangement of everything movable was only a
little less marked than in those of his companions. Mrs. Snow glanced
over the heap of odds and ends on the bureau and picked up a comb. There
were some teeth in it, but they were distant neighbors.

"I don't use that comb very much," said Captain Eri rather
apologetically. "I gin'rally use the one downstairs."

The new-found relative of Captain Jerry said nothing, but, laying down
the ruin, marched over to the extension-case, opened it, and took
out another comb--a whole one. With this she arranged the hair on her
forehead. It, the hair, was parted in the middle and drawn back smoothly
at the sides, and Captain Eri noticed that it was brown with a little
gray in it. When the last stray wisp was in place, she turned calmly to
the Doctor and said:

"Cap'n Baxter's in here, I s'pose. Shall I walk right in?"

The man of medicine seemed a little surprised at the lady's command of
the situation, but he said:

"Why, yes, ma'am; I guess you may. You have nursed before, I think the
Captain said."

"Five years with my husband. He had slow consumption. Before that with
my mother, and most of my brothers and sisters at one time or another.
I've seen consid'rable sickness all my life. More of that than anything
else, I guess. Now, if you'll come in with me, so's to tell me about the
medicine and so on."

With a short "Humph!" the physician followed her into the sick room,
while the three mariners gazed wide-eyed in at the door. They watched,
as Doctor Palmer explained medicines and gave directions. It did not
need an expert to see that the new nurse understood her business.

When the Doctor came out his face shone with gratification.

"She'll do," he said emphatically. "If all your relatives are like that,
Cap'n Burgess, I'd like to know 'em; 'twould help me in my business."
Then he added in response to a question, "He seems to be a little better
just now. I think there will be no change for a while; if there should
be, send for me. I'll call in the morning. Gracious! it's almost
daylight now."

They saw him to the door and then came back upstairs. Mr